Patriots' rookie quarterback adjusting to life in the NFL

Second-round draft pick Jimmy Garoppolo says his main concern at the moment is getting the Patriots' playbook down pat.

Glen Farley The Enterprise @GFarley_ent

FOXBORO – His transition to the NFL has already caused a major adjustment for the Garoppolo family.Take Mother’s Day, for instance.

“Probably leaving my mom (Denise) on Mother’s Day,” Jimmy Garoppolo answered when asked his biggest surprise since the Patriots selected him in Friday night’s second round of the NFL draft. “She was a little upset about it, but it’s business now. It’s my job and I’m excited to be out here.”

Another major adjustment awaits.

After starring at Eastern Illinois University and Rolling Meadows (Ill.) High School before that, if all goes as planned Garoppolo will start his pro career as a backup and spend the foreseeable future in New England filling that role.

“Oh, man,” Garoppolo said, struggling to recall the last time he sat. “I don’t know. I don’t think I ever have.”

Garoppolo may be the “air apparent” in New England, but with Tom Brady showing little sign of decline and under contract through 2017 there is no reason to think the newcomer will be taking meaningful snaps anytime soon.

Not that that’s on the mind of a 21-year-old who was just enrolled in NFL 101.

“Picking up the playbook is hard enough,” Garoppolo said Tuesday. “That’s my main worry right now.”

That playbook, Garoppolo said, has been difficult to pry out of his hands since his arrival in Foxboro with the rest of the Patriots Draft Class of 2014 and undrafted free agents Sunday.

“(I’ve spent an) unbelievable amount (of time in the playbook),” he said. “I’m getting a little bit sleep deprived, but that’s a good thing in this business.”

The 6-foot-2, 226-pound quarterback caused many of EIU’s opponents many a sleepless night over the years. This past season he threw for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns with just nine interceptions.

Garoppolo’s 13,151 career yards passing obliterated the previous Ohio Valley Conference record of 9,990 that Casey Brockman set from 2009-12 at Murray State. His 118 TD passes broke both the school and conference records set by Tony Romo from 1999-2002.

Doing that in the OVC is one thing; doing it in the NFL will be another.

But Garoppolo, who earned Offensive MVP honors at the East-West Shrine Game and also played in the Senior Bowl, downplayed the difference in the level of play he faced and the competition others may have gone up against in playing against traditional college football powerhouses.

“Playing in those all-star games I think helped verify that there’s not that big of a difference between 1-AA and the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) anymore,” he said. “That gap’s becoming closer and closer and the all-star games just helped verify that.”

Garoppolo said to this point his interaction with Brady and veteran backup Ryan Mallett has been minimal.

“We haven’t talked to the veterans much,” he said. “Just a quick introduction … but I think next week is when we’ll interact with them more.”

By then, Garoppolo hopes to be speaking their language.

“It’s a completely different offense (from college), to be honest,” said Garoppolo. “It’s like learning Spanish compared to English. It’s just a different language, really.”

Glen Farley may be reached at gfarley@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @GFarley_ent.